Improvement in combined whip-socket and rein-holder



y B. J. DOWNINGL Combined Whip-Socket; and Rein-Holdgr.

No. 204,140; Pjytented May 28 1878.

N- anus FHOTO-LHNOGRAPHEI, WA

UNI ED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

BURTON J. DOWNING, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNO'R'OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO F. J. SEYBOLD, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN COMBINED WHIP-SOCKET AND RElN-HOLDER.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 204,140, dated May 28, 1878; application filed February 15, 1878.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, BURTON J. DOWNING, of the city of St. Louis, in the county of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Whip-Socket and Rein- Holder, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawlugs.

My invention pertains to that class of articles denominated in a general way 'whipsockets and rein-holders, and is a combination of the two; and consists, in a general way, of two halves of a hollow cylinder, hinged together on one side, and held together on the other side by a spring, one end of which spring is attached to one half of this hollow cylinder, and the other end of the spring attached to the other half, the spring allowing the halves of the cylinder to open to some extent on the side held together by the spring. Further opening, however, is prevented at a certain point by a double T-shaped piece of metal, against the two T-heads of which the two halves of the hollow cylinder catch when open to a certain point. To one of these halves of a hollow c3 linder, near the bottom of the same, is attached a curved spike-like projection. reaching toward the top of the whip-socket. This spike-like projection projeots outward from the hollow cylinder to the distance of about one-eighth (g-) of an inch,

and then curves up toward the top of the hollow cylinder, on a line parallel with the same, with a one-eighth (gr) of an inch, or thereabout, space intervening between the spike and the half-hollow cylinder. In this space it is designed to press the lines or reins to be held, and the other half of the hollow cylinder is so arranged as to wedge in between the spike and the reins as the reins are attempted to be pulled through from the direction of the horses, this wedging in tightening the reins against the spike on the one side, and the wedging half of the hollow cylinder on the other side, so that the reins cannot be pulled through.

The two half-hollow cylinders are joined together with their'concaved sides, and designed to form a hollow cylinder open at the top and The apparatus will be more clearly under- A stood by reference to the accompanying draw-, ings, in which the same parts are referred to by thesame letters in the different figures.

In thedrawings, Figure 1 gives a side view of my holder with the operating parts of the same put together in a proper position ready for use.

In this figure B A are the two halves of the hollow cylindrical holder, a portion of the lower part of the half-cylinder A being cut away so as to show the spring and its attachment that holds the two halves B and A of the holder together. N is the coiled spring. (Seen more distinctly in Fig. 6.)

S O is a double T-shaped catch, that holds the two halves B and A from separating farther than to a properly-desired position. The

head R of the catch S O is passed through a slot in the half-cylinder B, then turned quarter-way around in the same, with the head R falling across the slot H,'(seen more fully in Figs. 2 and 5,) the head R falling down into an indentation prepared for it in the half-cylinder I .N and catch S O to be easily reached and manipulated.

C is an arm, projecting out from the halfcylinder A a short distance and then turning up parallel with the same at a distance of one-eigth a of an inch, or thereabout, therefrom.

The space between the spike O and the half-cylinder A is designed to hold the reins or lines, that may be deposited therein. The lines are prevented from slipping through this space by the half-cylinder B, which eccentrically wedges in between the halfcylinder A and the spike 0, thereby clamping the lines tightly between the halfcylinder B and the spike C.

L L are projections from the half-cylinder A, with holes through the same, through which may be passed rivets, or their equivalents, for securing the clasps D onto the projections L, the hollow half-cylinder A being reamed out on the inside to allow the rivet-heads to lie smooth 'and flat.

D D are clasps, designed to embrace a rod or similar part of a wagon or carriage dashboard for the purpose of holding the whipsocket B A to the dash-board.

The part A of the socket B A is placed against the rod in a proper position, and the clasps D placed around the same, and then riveted or otherwise secured to A at the proiections L, after which the half-cylinder B is attached to A.

G G are curved projections orhinges on the 'plate B, constructed so as to fit into corresponding orifices J in the plate A, and thereby hinge the same securely at the one side to the plate A. These projections G are seen more clearly in Figs. 2, 5, and 7, and the orifices J are seen more fully in Figs. 3 and 4.

K are little projections on the half-hollow cylinder A, resting against the inside of the half-hollow cylinder B, designed to prevent the half -hollow cylinder B from slipping inward on the half-hollow cylinder A. These projections K are seen more clearly in Figs. 3 and 8. The projections L are seen more clearly in Fig. 4.

Fig. 2 is an inside view of the hollow halfcylinder B. Fig. 3 is an inside view of the hollow half cylinder A. I11 this Fig. 3, U are the holes through which the rivets are passed that secure the clasp D to the hollow halfcylinder A. In this figure, V is the orifice through which the smaller part of the catch S 0 passes, the orifice V being too small to admit the part 0 of the catch S O to pass through the same.

E is a curved-up continuation at the bottom of the hollow cylinder A, on the inside of the same, and reaching over toward and nearly against the hollow cylinder B. The butt of the whip-stock is contained between this curved-up projection or continuation E and the hollow cylinder A.

The continuation E prevents the base of the whip-stock from pressing against the inside of the hollow cylinder B, and is so inclined as to receive any sized whip-stock and hold the same secure and from shaking about.

Fig. 4 is an outside view of the half-hollow cylinder A. Fig. 5 is an outside view of the half-hollow cylinder B. Fig. 6 is a view of the spring N and catch S O detached from the whip-holder. Fig. 7 is a top View of a horizontal cut across the plate B at G. Fig. 8 is a top view of a horizontal cut across the plate A at K.

The operation of this whip-holder is as follows: The whip-stock is thrust into the hollow cylinder B A, the hollow cylinder B A opening to receive any sized whip-stock desired by means of the hinges G K and the spring and catch S O. When the base of the whip-stock has passed the narrow portion of the hollow cylinder B A, near the top of the same, down into the wide end of the hollow cylinder at E, the cylinder contracts around the whip-stock by means of the spring N and catch S O. The expansion of the spring N against the head P pulls the head B toward the hollow cylinder A, and the head It brings with it the half-hollow cylinder B.

What I claim as new, as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- l. The part A, provided with the upturned continuation E, and orifices J, in combination with the part B, provided with the projections G, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the parts A and B, the former provided with the projecting arm 0, which, with the latter, forms a clamp for holding the reins, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the parts A and B and catch S O, substantially as described.

4. In combination with parts A and B, the catch 80 and spring N, substantially as described.

5. The spring N, in combination with the parts A and B and catch S O, constructed with heads P R and the shoulder W, substantially as described.

BURTON J. DOVVNING.

Witnesses FREDERICK J. SEYBoLD, CARRIE s KlNTzlNG. 

